Driving cap for wooden stakes

ABSTRACT

This apparatus is a steel driving cap for forcibly driving wooden stakes into the ground utilizing a sledgehammer for striking the driving cap. The apparatus is constructed of tubular steel of various dimensions to accommodate various sizes of wood stakes. The apparatus also has a flat steel surface of various thickness (depending on the size of the wood stake) welded to the top of the apparatus to form a cap, used for striking with a hammer or sledgehammer. The apparatus also has a steel handle welded to the back side of the apparatus, used by a second person for guiding the stake as it is being driven.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to cap like devices used for the forcible driving of wooden stakes into the ground, the beginning of every building construction project.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

All building construction projects require stakes to be driven into the ground in order to support building line boards and pull strings to layout the building. Other projects such as surveying and landscaping also require wood stakes to be used. Usually this is accomplished by driving 2″×4″ wooden stakes into the ground using a sledgehammer. Unfortunately, by the stakes are deep enough to support your work, they are at the least mushroomed on the top and at worst destroyed by splitting, making them no longer usable. The destroying of wood stakes waste a considerable amount of time, spent to cut the stakes, and money because of having to replace them. Having been in or around construction most of my life and in the construction retail industry for the last 17 years, I have neither seen or heard of any tool that addresses these issues. After creating my stake driving cap I learned of similar existing art, U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,006 issued to Harding (1993). This is a light weight tool with levels and small enough to be carried on a work belt. In my opinion, this tool would not and could not withstand the forces encountered by being struck with a sledgehammer or even a claw hammer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this apparatus is to make the driving of wooden stakes into the ground easier by spreading the force of the sledgehammer blows across the wood stake evenly allowing all of the force to be transmitted to the stake. This apparatus will greatly reduce, if not eliminate the mushrooming and splitting of wood stakes generally associated with driving wood stakes by force with a heavy hammer. This apparatus also allows the re-use of wood stakes, because the stakes will not be destroyed when initially used. This apparatus also allows a second person to guide the wood stake safely while it is being driven utilizing a handle on the backside of the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. Shows a front view of the apparatus.

FIG. 2. Shows a side view of the apparatus, also showing the handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 This is a front view of the stake driving cap.

Item#1 is made of tubular steel of various widths and depths to accommodate different sizes wood stakes, (nominal sizes) from 2″×4″ to 2″×2″ to 1″×2″. The vertical sleeve is approximately 10″ long.

Item#2 is a flat piece of sheet steel of sufficient thickness (depending on the size of the stake) to withstand hammer blows. The flat sheet steel overhangs the vertical steel tubing by approximately 12″ on each side.

FIG. 2. This is a side view of the stake driving cap.

Item#1 is made of tubular steel of various dimensions to accommodate different sizes of wood stakes, (nominal sizes) from 2″×4″ to 2″×2″ to 1″×2″. The vertical sleeve is approximately 10″ long.

Item#2 is a flat piece of sheet steel of sufficient thickness (depending on the size of the stake) to withstand hammer blows. The flat sheet steel overhangs the tubular steel approximately ½ on each side.

Item#3 is a handle made of steel that is welded to the back side of the apparatus to allow a person to control the stake as it being driven. 

1. A driving cap for wooden stakes, comprising; a. a horizontal steel striking surface of sufficient thickness capable of withstanding sledgehammer blows, of enough force to drive said wooden stake into the ground. b. a vertical tubular steel sleeve of various dimensions integrally attached to said striking surface to encompass said wooden stake while being driven, to prevent splitting of said wooden stake. c. a steel handle welded in two spots to the back side of the apparatus to enable guidance of said wooden stake while said wooden stake is being forcibly driven into the ground. 